AirNav Systems Forum
AirNav RadarBox and RadarBox24.com => AirNav RadarBox and RadarBox24.com Discussion => Topic started by: Alan Parker on May 14, 2010, 04:36:59 PM
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Hi all, i recently put up a radar rama outside on a mast. Everything was working fine for about five days untill it rained then my flights went from around 80 to about 15 & could only pick up flights over head. Contacted support & sent the box back. I've now got the box back & connected it. Seems to be working ok but My flights only picking up about 30. Is it possible that the radar rama is damaged. Any suggestions on what to look at next. Thanks Alan.
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Could well be water in the connection between the antenna and coax or in the coax itself.
Did you wrap plenty of self amalgamating tape around the connector and where the coax enters the connector?
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Yes i taped it well. Taken antenna down today to check & no visable signs of water or any rust.
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What is the range like Alan? Same or down?
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Yes range is down a fair bit although have picked up the odd flight about 80 miles. Tried the supplied antenna but was only picking up around the 30 mark with it when its indoors so that does not help much.
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Hi Alan, rather than damp in the Radarama itself, I would suspect damp in the co-ax which will act as a wick, I've had water come in and right down co-ax in the past, rather than use sel-amalgamating tape now, I fill the connectors up with electricians' silicone grease (NOT silicone sealer) to the extent that it squeezes out when connectors screwed together. Water and damp cannot penetrate. Once a surface has this grease on it adhesive/self-amalgamating tape will not take. I've always found it virtually impossible to get an absolute seal with SA tape, which will also crack and perish in a few months. Self adhesive heat shrink is more effective.
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Thanks Jon, not sure what to look at next to be honest, checked everything i can think of but still the same. The only thing i've done different since i got the box back is i've conected an earth wire from the anttena to a metal drain pipe on the house. I didn't attach one originaly but thought i'd better after reading about it on here.
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Check the contiunity of your coax to make sure you do not have a short at the plugs.
J.
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Just a thought Alan following on from Jeremy's comment, are your outside connectors crimp/screw-pinch or soldered - could be a high resistance due to very slight surface corrosion.
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They are the soldered type Jon. Does it matter where the frayed outer copper piece of the coax goes as long as it doesn't touch the solid centre piece.
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Yes. It should be in contact with the outside of the plug so that it connects to the RB. Otherwise you might as well run a bit of ordinary copper wire to the aerial.
J.
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Just liked to say thanks for everyone who gave advise on this. After taking the antenna down & starting from scratch, i took the coax out of the plug, chopped it off & start again & it seems to have done the trick. This is probably where damp had got in. Will not know for certain untill it rains next but fingers crossed.
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Connecting/soldering the connector is a precise work.
Example for N connectors: http://www.gandalf.nl/pdf/How%20to%20assemble%20a%20N.pdf
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Thanks Jannuh, thats very useful.